John kennedy



(No-Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. KENNEDY.

ENDLESS CHAIN DREDGER.

Patented Jan. 5, 1886. JW

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. KENNEDY.

ENDLESS CHAIN DEEDGER;

Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KENNEDY, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

ENDLESS-CHAIN DREDGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,637, dated January 5, 1886.

Application filed March 9, 1885. Serial No. 158,184.

To'aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN KENNEDY, ofMontreal, in the Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Endless-Chain Dredgers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements applicable to endless-chain dredgers of the class in which the dredge-buckets are constructed of cast-steel or other suitable cast metal, particularly that type of this class in which the buckets are fitted with detachable pointed teeth for cutting hard material.

My objects are to provide improved means whereby the suspended or catenary portion of the chain of buckets may be deflected in order to facilitatethe delivery of the contents of the buckets into a proper hopper or chute and economize space, to provide a castmetal dredge-bucket of the least weight consistent with needed strength, and to so form thebucket as to provide for attaching removable cuttingteeth in a strong and simple manner and in effective positions.

The accompanying drawings show those features only of suitable dredging apparatus,illustration of which is needed in order to convey a proper understanding of an appropriate embodiment of my improvements.

Figure 1 is a front view of a bucket with one of its teeth removed, the lower portion of the bucket being in half-section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. By front view, with reference to this figure, is meant a view looking toward the interior of a bucket occupying the position approximating that in which the topmost one is represented in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bucket-chain,showing in part the manner of supporting and actuating it, with the device for deflecting the upper catenary portion of the bucket-chain. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, designed to represent the manner in which the deflecting device acts upon the chain of buckets of improved construction.

Each bucket A is formed of cast metal, (cast- (No model.)

steel preferred,) with exterior and interior back plate, A B, the construction being such u as to form a box-girder of great longitudinal strength for uniting the various link-lugs and of great transverse strength for connecting the sides of the bucket.

The interior back plate, B, it should be noticed, extends from the rear to the front of the bucket and from side to side thereof, while the exterior back plate, A, crosses from side to side, but does not quite extend from front to rear of the bucket. Obviously, this external plate must be of a length sufficiently less than that of the interior plate to provide for the needed amount of play of the links which connect the respective buckets of a chain.

Additional strength is imparted to each bucket by means of connecting-posts I, between the interior and exterior back plates. These posts correspond in number with the number of pairs of link-lugs, there being a post between each pair of link-lugs about midway between the front and rear of the bucket. In addition to the strengthening-posts I there is a cross-rib, J, extending from side to side of the bucket between the interior and exterior back plates. This strengthening cross-rib connects with the front link lugs and unites the front end of the exterior back plate with the interior back plate, as plainly shown in Fig. 2. Entrance of material between the plates is in this way prevented. A rib, D, strengthens the top and the rear end, E, of the bucket, as

well as the juncture of the end and the back results arising from the jamming of material between the bucket backs and roller tum- 1 clined frame, about which the chain of buck blers.

In order to provide for the attachment in most effective manner of removable steelpointed teeth N Nin this instance four in number for each bucket-the top of the bucket is formed as follows: There is a sharp angle or bend formed at the juncture of each side of the bucket with the top at L L, and the lip or edge portion 0 of the top is thickened. Seatings P are provided for the teeth, and each tooth has a forked shank to engage with its seating. The seatings for the outside or end teeth, N N, of the series are inclined relatively to the sides of the bucket, as plainly shown, being formed in the angular portions L L of the top.

The bolts or rivets n, which pass through the forks of the teeth and through holes in the seatings P, together with seat-ribs or projecting lugs p p, serve to securely attach the inclined end teeth in such manner that they project at their cutting-points beyond the sides of the bucket, so that in operation these teeth will make a cut in the material being dredged of a width exceeding that of the bucket, thus preventing unnecessary wear and strain of a body of a bucket.

The intermediate or central teeth, N N, are secured in their seats by the rivets or bolts simply, though, if preferred, seat-ribs 19 may be provided for these teeth, as well as for the end teeth. These seat-ribs are not, however, absolutely necessary for the central teeth, because the lateral strain upon them is not severe, as they are not inclined.

It should be noticed that the seatings P are formed by parallel flat surfaces at opposite sides of the thickened portion of the buckettop, thus permitting of readily and strongly securing the teeth in place, and removing them when worn without injury to the bucket, which may be supplied with other teeth, as needed.

The top surface of the lip O of each bucket is flattened between the central teeth at F for a short distance. This depressed, fiattened, or plainsurfaced portion F is' parallel with the bucket back. These portions F of the series of buckets making up the chain serve as bearings for a deflecting device, (shown as formed by a guide-rail, Q,) secured to the frame of a suitable'chute or hopper, M, into which the buckets discharge their contents.

As will readily be understood by reference to Fig. 3, the buckets chain is deflected inward at the upper part of its catenary portion after the buckets have passed the point at which they discharge their contents into the chute.

Obviouslyfwere it not for the employment of a deflector for the buckets, the chain of buckets would hang in a natural catenary between the extremities of the ladder or inets are rotated, and space would necessarily be wasted. Besides this, considerable loss of dredged material would result from the buckets not being so controlled as to be compelled to discharge directly over the chute.

Although I prefer to make the bucket of a single solid casting, as before in detail de scribed, it is obvious that some of the essential features of my invention may be embodied in a bucket made in two parts and united by a suitable joint.

It is further obvious that a deflector, such as hereinbefore described, might advantageously be applied to dredging apparatus before in use, 'and that in such case the inclined frame or bucket-ladder might be lowered, bringing the tumbler of the upper carrying-roller nearer to the chute and increasing the depth to which the apparatus could work.

It should be noticed that by the employment of a rail-like deflector acting upon the central portions only of the tops of the buckets a simple and strong construction is attained.

I claim as of my own invention 1. The combination of the rotary endless chain of dredger-buckets, means for supporting it, the chute or hopper, and the rail-like deflector acting upon the central portions of the tops of the buckets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A dredge-bucket having the interior and exterior back plates, and the link-lugs formed complete in one piece with said'plates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A dredge bucket having the interior and exterior back. plates extending from side to side, and the cross-rib connecting the back plates all in one piece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A dredge-bucket having the one-piece interior and exterior back plates, the linklugs, and the cross-rib connecting both the back plates and the sides of the bucket, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A dredge-bucket having the thickened top part or lip and the strengthening rib connecting saidlip with the back of the bucket, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A dredgebucket having its top and sides cast together, with sharp angles at their junctures L L, provided with seatings for inclined end teeth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A dredge-bucket having its lip formed with the flat seatings and the seat-lugs for the detachable teeth, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with the bucket having the thickened top part or lip and the seatings for the teeth, of the detachably-secured central teeth, and the inclined end teeth projecting at their points beyond the bucket- In testimony whereof I have hereunto subsides, substantially as and for the purpose set scribed my name. forth. I JOHN KENNEDY.

9. A dredge-bucket having the centrally- Witnesses: 5 arranged bearing-surface at top parallel with O. P. RYLAND,

its back, whereby it is adapted to be acted Of Montreal, Gent.

upon by the rail-like deflector, substantially i JOHN G. GRIFFIN, I b

Of the city of Montreal, Notary Pu lie.

as and for the purpose set forth. 

